The Common Admission Test (CAT) is one of the most competitive MBA entrance exams in India. It is conducted by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and is taken by thousands of as33pirants every year. Preparing for CAT in just 8 months may seem like a daunting task, but with the right approach and preparation strategy, it is definitely possible to crack the exam. In this blog, we will discuss the steps you can take to increase your chances of cracking CAT in 8 months.
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Contents
- 1 CAT 2023 Preparation Tips
- 2 CAT 8-month Preparation Strategy and Topic-wise study-plan:
- 3 Month-wise schedule / Study plan:
CAT 2023 Preparation Tips
Understand the Exam Pattern and Syllabus
The first step in your CAT preparation journey should be to understand the exam pattern and syllabus thoroughly. CAT consists of three sections – Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Ability (QA). The syllabus is vast, and it is important to know what topics are covered in each section.
Create a Study Plan
Once you have a clear understanding of the exam pattern and syllabus, the next step is to create a study plan. A good study plan should cover all the topics in the syllabus and allocate time for each section. You should also set aside time for revision and practice tests.
Start with the Basics
Before you start solving complex problems, it is important to have a strong foundation in the basics. Focus on understanding the concepts and principles behind each topic. Once you have a strong foundation, solving complex problems becomes much easier.
Practice Regularly
Practice is key when it comes to CAT preparation. Solve as many practice questions and mock tests as possible. This will not only help you identify your strengths and weaknesses but also help you get used to the exam pattern and format.
Analyze your Performance
After each mock test or practice session, take the time to analyze your performance. Identify the areas where you need improvement and focus on those areas in your next study session.
Stay Motivated
CAT preparation can be a long and tiring journey. It is important to stay motivated throughout the process. Set small goals for yourself and reward yourself when you achieve them. Surround yourself with people who motivate and encourage you.
Stay Updated
Stay updated with the latest news and trends in the business world. Read newspapers, magazines, and blogs regularly. This will not only help you in the VARC section but also keep you informed about the latest trends and developments in the industry.
Take Care of your Health
Last but not least, taking care of your health is crucial during CAT preparation. Ensure that you get enough sleep, exercise regularly, and eat a healthy diet. A healthy mind and body are essential for success in any exam.
CAT 8-month Preparation Strategy and Topic-wise study-plan:
How to prepare for CAT VARC: A study plan for Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
Here, the focus has to be on reading, for 1 hour every day. Reading will also make you develop a viewpoint on a variety of issues. Start with reading what you like, and then read articles from different genres to make yourself comfortable with various writing styles.
Apart from that, complete the concept videos in VARC in the first 1-2 months of your preparation. The major part of the preparation for VARC happens from Reading regularly and practising RC’s every day. In the initial days of your preparation, solve at least one RC every day.
Avoid speed reading, skimming, surfing and other such gimmicky techniques. Read to absorb the essence of the paragraph. Most of the questions that appear will require the reader to infer the information from the passage. Therefore, avoid rushing through the passage. Questions on para jumbles and sentence elimination require aspirants to spot coherent ideas, and the other questions in the VA section (like Para summary) also depend greatly on the ability of the aspirant to comprehend the passage. Therefore, having a strong reading habit is indispensable to ace the Verbal Ability section as well.
Spend 1 hour every day to cover the Verbal Ability concepts. You can spend some time on vocabulary and grammar if you do not feel confident about it, but make sure not to spend too much time on it.
The following is the schedule one can follow. You can adjust this depending on the time available during the day, and based on your strengths and weaknesses.
Spend at least 1 hour every day covering the VARC Concepts
|
Topic |
No. of days |
|
Reading Comprehension |
14-15 |
|
Para Summary |
8-10 |
|
Para Completion |
8-10 |
|
Para Jumbles |
8-9 |
|
Odd sentence out |
8-9 |
How to prepare for CAT DILR: A study plan for Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Evenly dividing the week for DI and LR topics, one can spend 3 days for DI and 3 days for LR. So, that will be 36 days each (12weeks * 3 days per week) for DI and LR. Also, try to solve 2 sets every day (one DI set and one LR set).
Spend around 1-2 hours every day covering the DI / LR Concepts.
|
LR Topics |
No. of days |
|
Arrangements (Linear, Circular, etc) |
4 |
|
Puzzles (Einstein puzzles, constraint-based etc) |
4 |
|
Networks, LR based on picking coins |
6 |
|
Games and tournaments |
4 |
|
Scheduling |
4 |
|
Blood relations, family tree, Truth-liar concept |
7 |
|
Cubes |
4 |
|
Others (2D Space LR’s, etc) |
6-7 |
|
DI Topics |
No. of days |
|
Bar Graphs, Line Charts, Pie Charts, Unconventional charts (radar chart, bubble chart etc) |
14-15 |
|
Tables |
5 |
|
Venn Diagrams |
5 |
|
Others (DI Based on growth over years, Data Sufficiency, Caselets, etc) |
10 |
Just like the VARC section, practice is the key to cracking this section as well.
How to prepare for CAT Quant: A study plan for Quant
The Quantitative Aptitude (QA) section can be easily improved with practice. The first step is to revise the quant basics well. More often than not, aspirants tend to skip the basics and move directly to the problem-solving part. Chances are there that the aspirant might have forgotten a seldom-used concept and hence, aspirants must allocate at least a month (those who are thorough with the basics) to refresh the concepts.
When leaning the concepts, watch the concept videos, and ensure that you solve a few examples for practice and move on to the next topic; candidates should not be spending an unreasonable amount of time on one particular topic. The actual practice of a variety of sums can be done after the completion of the syllabus.
These are the following Quant topics: The days allocated for each topic will vary depending on whether a topic is your strength or weakness. Spend more time learning your weak areas.
Spend around 2 hours every day learning the Quant Concepts.
|
Topic |
Number of days |
|
Number Systems |
5-6 |
|
Ratio and Proportion, Percentages, Averages, Alligation, Profit Loss and Discount |
14-15 |
|
Simple Interest and Compound Interest |
2-3 |
|
Time, Speed and Distance |
4-5 |
|
Time & Work |
3 |
|
Linear equations, Quadratic equations |
7 |
|
Inequalities |
3 |
|
Logarithms, Functions |
7 |
|
Progressions and series |
4 |
|
Surds and indices |
2 |
|
Geometry & Mensuration |
12-14 |
|
Basic trigonometry |
2-3 |
|
Co-ordinate Geometry |
3 |
|
Permutation and Combinations |
5 |
|
Probability |
4 |
|
Set Theory |
3 |
| Miscellaneous | 6-7 |
Month-wise schedule / Study plan:
The following is a month-wise schedule that one can adhere to.
|
April-June/July |
Learning the concepts of all the three sections |
|
July |
Revise the concepts, Practice, Take sectional tests and one mock per week |
|
August |
Take 2 mocks per week, note down the mistakes and work on them before the next mock |
|
September |
Take 2 mocks per week, improve your question selection skills, Experiment with various strategies in the mocks. |
|
October |
Can take 2-3 mocks per week, experiment with mock strategies. |
|
November |
Pick a strategy that suits you the most. Test it in the mocks. Revise the concepts and the common mistakes you tend to make. |
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